The Lakers missed the 2012-13 NBA playoffs by just a single game, despite winning their season finale Wednesday against Houston.

The maddeningly close call left the Lakers and their fans wondering what might have been had the team not lost at Miami on Feb. 10, when Steve Nash misfired on a late free throw while being inadvertently distracted by his backcourt mate, Justin Timberlake.

Huh?

On Saturday, I watched Ray Romano shank a par putt from roughly 24 inches during a PGA tournament that has a $6.5 million purse, a $1.15 million first prize and 500 FedExCup points awaiting the winner.

Romano, in case you're unaware, is not a professional golfer. He's a comedian, known for playing a phony sportswriter. He's the exact opposite of me, a sportswriter known for playing a phony comedian.

Anyway, the whole strange scene got me thinking:

What might happen if other sports tried to do what golf does? What if the Ducks or Dodgers or Clippers were involved in games — actual, legitimate games, ones that count in the standings and everything — despite including the participation of talented celebrities, gifted famous people and Carson Daly?

Kobe Bryant has struggled this season to find on-court harmony with Dwight Howard, right? Now imagine Kobe trying to meld with Dwight Yoakam. Or Ron Howard. Imagine any of the Lakers trying to get in sync with 'N Sync.

As much of a drama as the Lakers have been this season, throw an Academy Award-winning actor like Denzel Washington into the timeout huddle and suddenly Metta World Peace looks completely reliable.

Jack Nicholson, of course, sits in the front row at Staples Center for Lakers games. What if the horn sounded Tuesday night and ol' Jack — dark glasses and all — entered the game against Phoenix?

The guess here is it wouldn't be pretty. At this point, Nicholson can't have a single ACL that's worthy of the NBA.

In golf, they call this weekend's tournament the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. In other sports, such an event would be more of a national pro-sham, perhaps sponsored by Nike, with Lance Armstrong as official spokesman.

How about if the Angels, trailing by a run in the bottom of the ninth and needing a pinch-hitter, brought in Kenny G? OK, so Kenny probably couldn't do any worse than Maicer Izturis (2 for 22) did last season. Bad example.

With the Angels' bullpen last season, there occasionally was an outside chance of fleeting success.

Yes, I understand the premise of this column is ridiculous because anyone could play — no matter how poorly — on a golf course set to PGA standards, while very few possess the ability to share the field or court with full-speed NFL and NBA players.

Honestly, though, just once wouldn't you love to see Ed Reed set his sights on George Lopez and deliver a hit with enough force as to separate the comedian from his accent? Finally, a legitimately funny clip involving a man whose resume includes "Beverly Hills Chihuahua."

The Ducks were named after a made-for-the-movies team consisting of a bunch of kids. But no one younger than Emerson Etem should be permitted on the ice at Honda Center, unless it's to sing the national anthem.

A few years ago, the Kings had a one-game promotion during which a monkey skated around the rink. The chimp, however, was limited to appearances between periods, giving him no more of an in-game presence than the Zamboni.

Speaking of hockey, there once was a movie called "Tooth Fairy." Proving that Hollywood can make tragic as well as magic, someone cast Dwayne Johnson in the lead role. "The Rock" would have been more believable as a Swedish nanny than as a hockey player.

If the Ducks were forced to employ Johnson in some sort of NHL pro-am, let's just say I'd be rooting hard for the results to be toothless.

No, this just wouldn't work, and thank goodness for that. The pro sports world doesn't need more of Andy Garcia, Darius Rucker and Huey Lewis. Each of these performers has his place, yes, but none of those places are in the middle of a pennant race.

The best idea is to leave the pro-ams to golf, a sport that needs all the sizzle it can import.

There are just too many players like Davis Love III, who exudes the personality of a divot.

Take it from me. I know Ray Romano. Ray Romano is a friend of mine. Folks, I'm no Ray Romano.

At best, I'm Ray Barone, just another character trying to concoct some genuine laughs.

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